1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and in particular to apparatus for deliverying ice pieces to an external service area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In one conventional form of refrigerator, ice pieces are formed within the refrigerator and delivered through the door of the refrigerator to an exterior service area. Conventionally, the ice forming apparatus is provided in the freezer section of the refrigerator and the door is provided with a delivery chute extending from the ice maker. The front opening of the delivery chute is conventionally closed by a suitable closure to prevent ingress of ambient air other than during an ice piece delivery operation.
The conventional delivery chute is inclined forwardly downwardly through the door to facilitate a delivery of the ice pieces through the front opening.
Conventionally, the apparatus is provided with an actuator which, when engaged by a suitable receptacle, such as a cup or glass, effects operation of the ice piece delivery means for delivering ice from the ice piece maker through the delivery chute and front opening thereof into the receptacle.
In one form of such apparatus, the actuator effects a positive movement of the chute closure away from the closure front opening to facilitate the delivery of the ice pieces by gravity downwardly from the chute into the receptacle.
A number of different prior art devices have been developed for controlling delivery of particulate material and the like in dispensing service. Illustratively, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,254,802 of Randall C. Barnes, a powdered food dispenser is illustrated having an actuator adapted to be engaged by a cup so that when the actuator is urged rearwardly by the cup, a spring-biased closure is pivoted downwardly to direct powdered material from the storage means into the cup. The closure further defines an ejection chute having side walls for guiding the powdered material downwardly into the cups. The actuator is spring-biased away from the chute control lever, and upon removal of the cup from the dispensing position, is retracted to permit the closure to swing up to a closed position across the bottom opening of the storage means.
Robert Coucher, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,364, shows a skip-loading gate employed in mines and other industries having a movable spout at the lower end of the chute and positioning means for selectively positioning the spout in a retracted position within the chute and an extended position extending forwardly downwardly from the chute to adjacent a receiving bucket.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,088 of Dwight W. Jacobus et al, a through-the-door refrigerator ice delivery service is illustrated having a plurality of flexible fingers serving to direct the ice pieces into the subjacent receptacle. Movement of the receptacle into the service area causes a depression of a plunger so as to actuate the control switch means of the dispensing motor and concurrently pivot the chute closure member downwardly by means of a cable linkage mechanism. The flexible fingers are arranged in a funnel-shaped configuration and are fixedly secured to the structure at the lower end of the chute.
Joel A. Gittelson et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,237, show a similar arrangement having an improved form of closure element.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,617 of F. Browne Gregg, apparatus for dispensing fluent material from a hopper or other source of supply is disclosed as including a gate mechanism which is adjustable to control the flow of the material while an associated chute mechanism remains in an operative position. The gate automatically moves the chute mechanism to an inoperative position when the gate is substantially closed by means of a hydraulic cylinder.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,053 of Dwight W. Jacobus et al, a through-the-door ice piece dispenser is shown having an operating means on the outer surface of the door for energizing the dispenser. Means are provided for closing the door passage when the dispenser is not energized. In one embodiment, the inlet to the door passage is selectively closed by a closure which is pivotally mounted on an inner panel of the door and biased to the closed position. A chute is mounted on the closure to be disposed for guiding the ice pieces into the passage within the door.